Loving it. . .

Let me assure you – in February we love it! Now, if it was April I would be sucking up every ounce of sympathy you wanted to dish out and I might even be getting in my car and driving down to be with all you nice southerners. (You might want to remember that and be a little discerning with your invitations – I’m not kidding – Islanders get their visitors in the summer and we like to return the favour in the winter 🙂

In Feb, the cold weather is welcome for a number of reasons…

kills all the nasty mosquito and black fly larvae and garden pests that sometimes survive when we get a mild winter.

allows my husband to go smelt fishing. All the frozen rivers and bays are dotted with little smelt shacks.

the sun shines more when it is cold – don’t ask me why – I don’t know – but after almost 50 years in a northern climate I have observed it. And I would much rather see the sunlight dancing on the ice and sparkling on pure white snow than watch cold rain fall from a dark sky. That tends to depress me a little. (ok … a lot – I won’t even look out the window)

my daughter went snowmobiling and sledding yesterday and came home with rosy cheeks saying “We had the best time ever!”

outdoor recesses – the kids at my school are busy as little Canadian beavers pushing snow around, building forts and making snowmen.

there is nothing like a walk along the beach in winter – the ice formations change every day and they are so fascinating.

in 6 weeks or so the ice will break up and there will be icebergs (moderate ones – nothing like the real North) Then it will be so FUN to go kayaking.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge

and of course, who could forget Timmy’s? On a winter’s day, there is nothing like walking out of the cold into “your friend along the way” for a steaming hot cup of coffee. It’s the quintessential Canadian experience!

Photo Credits – Rinda Dean

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19 thoughts on “Loving it. . .”

Canadian Carriesays:

I agree with Suzanne. Chinooks are why Southern ALberta is the BEST place to live in the world! Great pictures, kayaking among the icebergs looks like so much fun. I am thinking about investing in a pair of snowshoes. Or really good boots! It’s been snowing here for almost 5 days straight! I do LOVE it,except when I have to get in my 2 wheel drive truck among impatient drivers. This is when I miss my 4×4 truck!Came here by way of Owlhaven!

Great description Joanne – yes it does make us hardy.I’m sorry the cold was hard on your foot Jeanne – you and I could both use the The North Face Greenland Zip boots!I think it is easier to enjoy when you have the right clothing – warm down coat – warm boots – etc. I picked up a down coat at Value Village but I need to get the right boots. We don’t often have it this cold. -34 C with the wind chill.(-29.2 F) Yikes – it will be an indoor recess today!

It’s great that you can take all that cold with a smile!My smile was frozen on my face today, unloading my groceries into the van. I’m afraid it was sort of a twisted, demented smile….I was not enjoying myself.And my foot hurt too–my first time in a grocery store in 5 weeks. The cold just made it harder.But I suppose it kills larvae here too–and that’s a bright thought on a cold day!Jeanne

Kathie,Love all of your recent posts!Spectacular photography once again!True post on Canadian Winter…creates a hardiness in us!The wind has been howling here, the snow drifts are building up, cars in the ditch everywhere these past two days but friendly neighbouring farmers pulling them out, the windchill factor makes one freeze in a nano second(well…almost!), the visibility poor with the blowing winds, snow on all the windows making for a Little House on the Prairie experience, long crystal icicles hanging from eaves of the roof,snow igloos and caves built by my children, outdoor icerink for hockey, snowmobiling at a friend’s house, snow resting on rooftops, trees, and fencelines, like icing on a cake once the wind dies down, laughter and rosy cheeks, followed by hot chocolate and curling up with a good book or a recent movie.What’s there not to like about winter?

Yes Lorna and Jodi – come and kayak with the icebergs. It’s not quite as risky as it looks – the water isn’t deep. We can only go on a really calm day because we’re not really set up for winter kayaking.

I might love the cold if I had some boots! I need boots? What are the best kind, speaking as an expert?I’m with you on the affection for Tim Horton’s. The best coffee. I go once or twice a week, during the school year. We’re having no school in this area today, because of the 7 degree high predicted. Too cold for children to walk, who have to walk if they live w/in two miles.

I’m with Jodi on this – it looks wonderful to do – loved the photo – look at the sky and the icebergs wow.I lvoe the cold too – for the reasons you say. This weekend was so sunny and I even went skiing (downhill) on Sunday afternoon with DD :)forecast for very cold coming up – 17C – hopefully not that cold in week 8 when we have a holiday and we want to be on the slopes or on the tracks from morning to night!!!thanks for this refreshing post .. oh and by the way it’s november I really dislike here in Finland. don’t look out of the window weather then … sigh

I do agree with you. I do love the winter in winter and I miss it when it is very mild. Although, we don’t have smelt shacks around here. :v) And I can always count on a good chinook blasting through to warm it up real fast when we have a long stretch of cold.